XMen First Class:The Prodigal Daughter Returns
by The Unlucky 13
Summary: Raven Darkholme returns to CIA Division X headquarters. Takes place years after X-Men First Class.


X-Men First Class: The Prodigal Daughter Returns

"Mommy, I'm scared", the small blonde child fretted nervously. There was noise outside, it was so loud. Irena wanted to cover her ears but her mother Raven held her too tight.

"I know Rena, I know." Her mother hid in the bunkhouse with Irena. Raven was terrified also but she was determined not to show it.

"Mom, I can get us out of here. We can leave." Irena whispered quietly, straining to be heard over the wailing sirens.

"This is the C.I.A., we have orders to take you to the facility for safety." A man with a megaphone projected.

"No, Rena. We're alright, they're not going to hurt us." Raven rose but remained hunched in the small confinements. She reached for her daughter. "Come on, beautiful. Everything's alright." Raven lifted Irena into her arms and climbed out of the bunkhouse. The scene outside was havoc, no situation acceptable for a small child. There were SWAT teams with guns and army gear, and a helicopter spotlight shone so bright Raven had to squint her eyes. Irena flinched at her new surroundings and clutched her beloved mother tighter. "Shush, baby girl. Mommy's here, I'm not going anywhere. Mommy's here." She cooed to her softly and rubbed her back comfortingly. Raven moved closer to the van and the door was slid open by one of the soldiers.

"Welcome home, Mystique." The friendly C.I.A agent commented, but his eyes focused on Irena. "She yours?"

"Of course Irena is." Mystique snapped. She loved Rena and it was an insult if she wasn't recognized as her mother. But Irena didn't look like Raven, she shared genetic traits with her father. Her favored form was her long curly brown hair, and perhaps most striking of all her one blue eye like her mother and one brown eye like her father. When Rena looked up from the crook of her mother's neck, the agent spotted her abnormality.

"She's a... mutant." He seemed surprised. But any doubt in his mind of the small girl's abilities was dissipated.

"Well, she _is_ mine. My little mutation." Raven laughed and pressed a kiss against her daughter's head.

"Mutant and proud." Irena recited with a smile. One that she knew made her mother happy.

"Well Irena, your mother taught you well.", he grinned pleasantly until suddenly his face darkened. "But what else did she teach you, hmm?"

When they entered the secret headquarters of the CIA paranormal abilities unit. Raven gripped Irena tightly to Irena's hand. But as she moved forward Rena jerked her mother back. Rena was frozen to the spot, her eyes glazed over in fear and her breathing quickened. Raven turned around and saw Irena and she immediately kneeled down.

"It's okay Rena." She held her daughter's shoulders, softly turning her to focus on her mother. "Just close your eyes. Remember like at home when you see the sky, it goes on forever alright? Just like at home. There is sky here but we just can't see it right now." The life slowly regained in Irena's eyes and her flushed cheeks turned back to a healthy color. "Okay?" Raven asked. Rena nodded and her mother smoothed Irena's hair in relief. "Alright" Raven said to herself as she climbed from her knees. She offered her hand once again to her daughter and led her forward.

"What was that?" The agent asked, stunned.

"She's claustrophobic, you take her inside and it's like caging a bird." Raven responded continuing down the hallway.

As the long stretch of corridor ended, he opened a door. "Well there's someone here who would like to see you, Mystique you remember Professor X." The man in the wheelchair turned around, the world quieted and froze in time. everything faded into the background as they locked eyes.

"Charles?" Raven asked. Her brain immediately took her back to a darker time, when all hope was lost. She tried to force out of her head the image of him lying on the beach, dying, while Raven had turned her back on him and walked away.

"Raven?" Charles gasped. He gazed at her, raking in her unchanged body. It had been years but she still looked exactly the same. But Xavier caught sight of a brown eye tucked behind Raven's skirt. "Well who is this?" He smiled and made an effort to move forward. Charles was fascinated by children and their simplistic, peaceful view of the world. At the thought of the strange man approaching her, Rena moved closer to her mother and whimpered quietly.

"Irena! Don't hide from your father.", Raven quietly scolded her. "Irena meet your daddy, Charles meet your daughter Irena."


End file.
